I once wrote to our local paper, which leans Right, that they need to have one full section at least once a week called "Good News" and publish all the good things people do for each other in our City. We all need to hear it more often. We don't need to have a disaster to be nice to others. Let's just do it because it makes everyone feel good. Just a simple smile for a stranger walking passing you on the sidewalk can make someone else's day for sure. Smiles create smiles. Try it...and wonder what they are thinking.
As someone who lives relatively close to LA - far enough to not be directly endangered by the fires but close enough that we have a meal there twice a month - the thing that's giving me hope through this tragedy is absolutely all of the community care that has instantly and universally sprung forward.
Restaurants that usually charge $28 and up for entrees announcing on social media that their dining rooms are closed because their kitchens are now working full time to create free to-go meals for displaced families and first responders.
People from neighboring counties going to their local Costco and filling their carts and cars with bottled water, bulk socks, and food then driving over an hour to drop off at an emergency shelter.
The politicians are pointing fingers at each other for posturing and poll points while local Californians are just out here DOING something.
Yeah, community is everything when it's working the way it ought to. We need a way to trick communities into caring for each other without, ya know, the wildfires of hell as an inciting incident.
Times like what’s going on in this new year 2025, we need more dark comedy humor and Norm brings it on every time he writes and shares whether it be dark humor, funny, happy, thrilling, sad and sometimes shocking. What ever he brings, you can’t hardly wait to see what he shares next. ❤️👍💪😂🥵🥳
You lost me with playing pat a cake with Charles Manson .. Native CA I yam. Imbedded forever the slaughters . I lived in my parents home BHills home 2 miles away. The horror generated a collective shock from Sunset to BelAir to Brentwood to Palisades to Malibu. LA locked down. Houses built iron gates , peaceful bought guns. The face of West Side transformed. Now.. The soul of LA has dissolved into ashes and dust . Wholly lost.
Norman, you had me at "playing Pat-a-cake with Charles Manson’s corpse," and sealed the deal with "tea-bagging a bigot's gravestone." And as a member of the Hebrew faith (admittedly non-practicing), the story of the menorah in Billings really hit home.
We can focus on the flames, but you point out examples of basic, kind human goodness when we need it the most.
Good luck getting through this current ordeal, and I hope your tweaked back heals up soon.
There are some wonderful stories of humanity. I was thinking of dedicating an essay every month to Good News because most news is crappy.
Love the biker gang.
I support this message. Good News needs better marketing--you'd be a great candidate to fill that void. :)
I once wrote to our local paper, which leans Right, that they need to have one full section at least once a week called "Good News" and publish all the good things people do for each other in our City. We all need to hear it more often. We don't need to have a disaster to be nice to others. Let's just do it because it makes everyone feel good. Just a simple smile for a stranger walking passing you on the sidewalk can make someone else's day for sure. Smiles create smiles. Try it...and wonder what they are thinking.
Smiles create smiles. That’s a wonderful aphorism.
"Oh, the humanity" doesn't have to be only a cry for loss, it can be a celebration of shared love. You put it perfectly.
Grazie! And I love this idea--taking a familiar refrain and inverting it, shouting "Oh, the humanity" with a smile on your face.
Sweet post. I love your writing. Always uplifting and some great humor. Thank you!
Grazie! Have a wonderful day filled with laughing babies, tail-wagging dogs, and winning lottery scratchers!
Beautifully worded.
As someone who lives relatively close to LA - far enough to not be directly endangered by the fires but close enough that we have a meal there twice a month - the thing that's giving me hope through this tragedy is absolutely all of the community care that has instantly and universally sprung forward.
Restaurants that usually charge $28 and up for entrees announcing on social media that their dining rooms are closed because their kitchens are now working full time to create free to-go meals for displaced families and first responders.
People from neighboring counties going to their local Costco and filling their carts and cars with bottled water, bulk socks, and food then driving over an hour to drop off at an emergency shelter.
The politicians are pointing fingers at each other for posturing and poll points while local Californians are just out here DOING something.
Yeah, community is everything when it's working the way it ought to. We need a way to trick communities into caring for each other without, ya know, the wildfires of hell as an inciting incident.
Times like what’s going on in this new year 2025, we need more dark comedy humor and Norm brings it on every time he writes and shares whether it be dark humor, funny, happy, thrilling, sad and sometimes shocking. What ever he brings, you can’t hardly wait to see what he shares next. ❤️👍💪😂🥵🥳
I can hardly wait either. ;)
You lost me with playing pat a cake with Charles Manson .. Native CA I yam. Imbedded forever the slaughters . I lived in my parents home BHills home 2 miles away. The horror generated a collective shock from Sunset to BelAir to Brentwood to Palisades to Malibu. LA locked down. Houses built iron gates , peaceful bought guns. The face of West Side transformed. Now.. The soul of LA has dissolved into ashes and dust . Wholly lost.
Fair criticism.
So sad....
Norman, you had me at "playing Pat-a-cake with Charles Manson’s corpse," and sealed the deal with "tea-bagging a bigot's gravestone." And as a member of the Hebrew faith (admittedly non-practicing), the story of the menorah in Billings really hit home.
We can focus on the flames, but you point out examples of basic, kind human goodness when we need it the most.
Good luck getting through this current ordeal, and I hope your tweaked back heals up soon.
Grazie! Yeah, that Billings story is lovely. That town was the best of us in that moment.
Thanks for this uplifting post!
Thanks for reading this uplifting post! ;)
First, glad that you and yours are all right. I have a lot of extended family in the area and so far, everyone has made it through.
And thanks for these glimpses of kindness. I like to think over the long haul, the better nature of our angels wins out.
Glad your family is okay. May it stay that way!
Very well said
;)